Opening weekend of Jeremy Menekseoglu's MEDEA with Dream Theatre Company was glorious. Thank you to our amazing audiences for helping us kick off this thing with a bang! Some production photos have been added to my MEDEA album courtesy of DTC Artistic Associate, #1 Fan, and Professional Audience Member, Marcia Clark! A couple other bonus photos in there as well.
Many many more chances to see MEDEA before we close! We run every Friday-Sunday @ 8pm through Sept. 14. No performances on Aug. 31 or Sept. 5. Tickets are $20. We take Cash & Credit Cards (Square) at the door. Reservations are strongly recommended as seating is limited to 28 seats per performance! 10 seats are available at Goldstar for 1/2 price every night, but they go fast! In other news, I will be helping out DTC in another venture, this time behind the scenes! I'll be the board operator (pressing buttons for lights/sound/projections) for the Chicago Fringe Festival performances of The Mechanical Man! This all-girl silent steampunk play is a truly unique experience not to miss, and I am super jazzed to even be a very small part of it. Check out details in my Current Projects section! Cheers, all!
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It is the FINAL WEEKEND of Come Blow Your Horn with Oil Lamp Theater. It's been a delightful ride, romping about in Neil Simon land. If you haven't seen the show yet, tickets are going fast but there are a handful of seats left for Thursday and Saturday (Sunday is sold out, and Friday is nearly sold out!). For $5 off, enter my "Friends & Family" code, "Horn" at: http://oillamptheater.org/current_season.php. Hope to see you there!
No rest for the wicked....next up, Jeremy Menekseoglu's MEDEA, opens Aug 8, and runs Fridays-Sundays at 8pm at Dream Theatre Company's the new Dream Laboratory space through September 14th! Tickets and more info can be found at: https://www.artful.ly/store/events/3790. I'll be playing the Princess of Corinth, Glauce, as she attempts to make peace with Medea.....and I think most of us know how that ends. Finally, I wanted to share a review of the work my very talented significant other and fellow actor, Jonah D. Winston. He is currently starring as Karl in Jedlicka Performing Arts Center's production of "Big Fish: The Musical". Chicago Theatre Beat Review: Big Fish (Jedlicka Performing Arts Center) Highlights: "also a knockout is Jonah D. Winston as Karl, the “giant” that Edward Bloom saves from a fearful populace. Winston has a gorgeous bass-baritone that we don’t get to hear enough of in this show." "Winston’s Karl captures the loneliness and warmth of the giant Edward saves." Congratulations, Jonah! Much deserved!! :) What's up after MEDEA? Who knows? Could be something brewing at Dream Theatre, we shall see where the wind will blow! The theatre may be dark tonight for America's birthday, but that doesn't keep the great reviews from coming in!
Here's what Tom Witom for Sun-Time Media had to say: Theater Review: Glenview’s Oil Lamp Theater gets to heart of Neil Simon comedy Oil Lamp Theater’s trilogy of plays on American family life is off to an auspicious start with its production of Neil Simon’s 1961 comedy “Come Blow Your Horn.” Under the direction of Keith Gerth, a solid cast clearly demonstrates that Simon’s first Broadway show still packs a lot of spunk and heart as it explores relationships between two adult siblings and their parents. The theater’s restricted performance space suits this intimate character-driven play which is set in a tiny Manhattan bachelor pad that’s home to 33-year-old playboy Alan Baker (Chris Lysy). Alan’s bohemian lifestyle and nonchalant work ethic get him in trouble with his boss and father, Mr. Baker (Rob Weinstein), who claims that during the six years he has worked for the wax-fruit company, Alan only put in two years at the office. Baker also insists that anyone over 30 and not married qualifies as a “bum” in his book. Smooth-talking Alan finds himself stressed as he tries to finesse a busy love life with voluptuous but ditzy upstairs neighbor Peggy (Marisa Lerman) and girlfriend Connie (Amanda Meyer), who is pushing for a serious commitment. Life becomes even more complicated when nebbishy Buddy (Grant Terzakis), who just turned 21, leaves a handwritten declaration-of-independence letter for his father and flees the family nest to live with his older brother and get his first taste of freedom. The letter explains how Buddy sees no future in the wax-fruit business for himself but has ambitions to become a script writer or playwright. To which his father responds: “Plays can close. Television you can turn off. Wax lies in a bowl until you’re a hundred.” Both parents, who rightly concerned that impressionable Buddy is on a slippery slope and a prime candidate for corruption, wage an emotionally charged campaign to get him to return home. Weinstein’s comical characterization is spot on as a gruff, headstrong father with a sarcastic sense of humor, someone who wants the best for his sons — but only under his terms. Denise Smolarek, in her portrayal of the neurotic, overly protective mother, steals the show in a hysterical scene when she gets flustered by a series of phone messages she can’t get straight and, for lack of a pencil, can’t write down. Three weeks pass, and Buddy has become “a whole new person,” dating, drinking his brother’s booze, borrowing his brother’s socks and using Alan’s contacts for hard-to-get restaurant reservations. Meanwhile, Alan — fired from his job, on the outs with Connie and increasingly appalled by his brother’s behavior — comes to a shocking self-realization that he’s more like his father than he ever thought possible. It’s a heartfelt moment. This is a fundraiser event for MEDEA with Dream Theatre Company at our new space in Lincoln Square. It's our kickoff mainstage, and I'll be featured as "Glauce" when we open in August!
STRIKE OUT MEDEA! DON'T LET THE CHILDREN BE SACRIFICED! ALL YOU CAN BOWL & DRINK FOR ONLY $25! **For less than the price of 4 Venti Peppermint Mocha Frappuccinos – you can make a difference** EVERY PENNY HELPS! Join Dream Theatre’s quest to save two adorable twins by drinking, eating, bowling and preventing murder. @ Lincoln Square Lanes 4874 N Lincoln Ave, Chicago, IL 60625 (773) 561-8191 Wednesday, July 23 8-10pm $25 in advance; $30 at the door BUY TICKETS: https://www.artful.ly/store/events/3577 Even if the children are not saved there will still be LIVE BAND KARAOKE starting at 10pm DETAILS: Dream Theatre is hosting an event at Lincoln Square Lanes to help raise funds for our first main stage MEDEA at Dream Laboratory. Join us in celebrating our successful move and our exciting season. - For $25 ($30 @ the door) you’ll receive 2 hours of UNLIMITED bowling and domestic beers/house wine - Raffle tickets will be sold at the event. Make sure to enter for your chance to win some great prizes - Food will also be available for purchase while enjoying the festivities - Live Band Karaoke will begin at 10pm DTC is a 501(c)3 public charity arts organization that produces original and innovative plays in an intimate theatre in Chicago since 2002. If you can’t attend our event but would like to support our company, please consider donating via our website at www.dreamtheatrecompany.com I just wanted to say how fortunate I feel to be working with two really different yet wonderful theatres in Chicagoland.
Dream Theatre Company has not only welcomed me with open arms, but made me a company member, talent coordinator, and I will be playing Glauce in DTC's kickoff mainstage MEDEA in our new Lincoln Square space. And I just learned that DTC was awarded 2014 "Best Off-Loop Theatre Company" AND "Best 15-Minute Horror Play" for Audience Annihilated: Gold Star Sticker, by the Chicago Reader! How cool is that?? Meanwhile, I just finished the final preview performance of Come Blow Your Horn with Oil Lamp Theater, to a standing ovation! This is my second show with Oil Lamp, and it is always a pleasure. And we've just been informed that we are completely SOLD OUT for opening night! I'm sure it has nothing to do with the leopard-print lingerie in Act 2..... ;) In closing, I'm feeling very thankful for the people I've gotten to know and work with, and the wonderful opportunities that have recently been afforded me. Work comes and goes as an actor, but the connections we make will (hopefully) last a lifetime. Cheers! Come Blow Your Horn is entering final rehearsals before our big opening this Thursday at Oil Lamp Theater in Glenview!
There is a FREE preview performance this Wednesday, at 8pm! No reservation required, just come, enjoy, be our test audience and BYOB! Full price tickets for the run can be found at: http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/607762 1/2 price tickets (limited supply) for Sunday & Thursday performances at:http://www.goldstar.com/events/glenview-il/come-blow-your-horn Free parking, glasses, corkage, fresh baked cookies, and snacks included with every ticket! BYOB theater! Please consider supporting my theatre family at Dream Theatre Company as we embark on an exciting new journey in Lincoln Square at the "Dream Laboratory"! Here is a letter from DTC and our Director of Marketing and Development: Dear Friends of Dream Theatre Company, We are excited to announce a lot of positive changes for Dream Theatre Company this summer! We have been developing the administrative side of our theatre, to better support the original, immersive theatre we are known for. We are also moving: Mold and landlord problems in our current space are forcing us to move out quickly, but we have found a new spot in Chicago’s Lincoln Square – a busy, arts-friendly neighborhood easily accessed by public transit. We think our new space will give our audience numbers a big boost and return us to our historically intimate style. The need to move urgently means our reserves are not enough to fund all our moving expenses and cover our bills until we can get shows up and running. Please consider donating now to fund our move and keep providing Chicago with theatre that can’t be found anywhere else. We’d like to offer you the following rewards for supporting our mission: $50 donation: Recognition on our website and in our show programs for the season $250 donation: Four tickets to be used at any point during the season Recognition on our website and in our show programs for the season $500 donation: Two tickets to each show of the season Copy of a script of your choice Recognition on our website and in our show programs for the season $1500 donation: Two tickets to our Annual Gala Reserved seating for two on opening night of each show in the season Free quarter-page ad in each show program for the season Copy of a script of your choice Recognition on our website and in our show programs for the season $2,500 donation: A private lesson from a company member on a subject of your choice (anything from an acting lesson to costume/millinery construction to puppet making or makeup design) Private performance of Anna, in the Darkness for up to 30 people Two tickets to our Annual Gala Season Pass: see any show of the season as many times as desired Reserved seating for two on opening night of each show in the season Free half-page ad in each show program for the season Copy of a script of your choice Recognition on our website and in our show programs for the season We want to make it easy for you to donate. Checks can be made out to Dream Theatre Company and sent to our new address: 5026 N. Lincoln Ave., Chicago IL 60625. We also have a PayPal button where you can donate with just one click at http://dreamtheatrecompany.com/. You can also donate by phone: Contact Managing Director Anna W Menekseoglu at 773-552-8616 with phone donations or any questions. Dream Theatre Company is a nonprofit charity organized under 501(c)3 and all donations are tax-deductible. Your support is needed now. Please join us in fulfilling our mission of bringing you the highest art possible in its most raw, unflinching and entertaining form. Sincerely, Megan Merrill, Director of Marketing and Development Dream Theatre Company Best Off-Loop Theatre Company 2012, 2010 (Chicago Reader Poll) www.dreamtheatrecompany.com It is with great excitement that I can announce that Dream Theatre Company has a new home in Lincoln Square!!! In addition, I can also announce that I am now officially a COMPANY MEMBER as well!!! This means I will participating in a greater capacity at DTC in addition to acting in shows. What my role will entail exactly is still being determined, but I'm excited to take this journey with DTC. Our new location on Lincoln between Winnemac and Argyle will be known as "The Dream Laboratory" and is steps away from the Lawrence and Foster buses, as well as a short walk from Western Brown Line stop. Many more announcements to follow, including fundraising opportunities (we're a non-profit and a tax write-off!), the continuation of our Move-out/Move-in Sale, remounting of Anna, In the Darkness, the Chicago Fringe Festival debut of The Mechanical Man, and more! I'm so freaking excited to bring DTC to new audiences in Lincoln Square and to become an "official" part of the DTC family. Great things ahead!!!! "The God Committee" may be closed, but it looks like my time at Oil Lamp Theater is not! I do want to thank and give a giant virtual hug to everyone who came out to see "The God Committee" and made this a very popular run. We performed this provocative story for everyone from youth ethics classes, to senior groups, to birthday parties, to actual "Gift of Hope" transplant recipients and family members. It was truly a pleasure and an honor. Now the big news! I have accepted the role of Connie in "Come Blow Your Horn", Oil Lamp Theater's summer show, which runs June 26 - August 3rd! Details with more to come are in my Current Projects section, so be sure to check it out! I'm thrilled to be working with the fine people at Oil Lamp Theater again and can't wait for the first readthrough! Thanks for reading and see you at the theatre! It has been so much fun working with this awesome group of people at Oil Lamp Theater. The theater also received some exciting news, as they are now members of the League of Chicago Theatres as well as the Theatre Communication Group! Big leaps for this "little" theater which is selling out shows left an right! Speaking of selling out, we've sold out a number of shows already for The God Committee, and there are only 2 weekends left to see it! This fast-paced medical dramedy must close on April 20th. There are still plenty of tickets left for select dates, but they're going fast so hurry over to Brown Paper Tickets to secure yours now. Use discount code "god" to get $5 off your ticket! And a big thank you to my extended Dream Theatre Company family who came out to see The God Committee in a big show of support this past weekend. It truly warms my heart to see theatre artists supporting each other. DTC could also use your support as we search for a new space! Check out http://www.dreamtheatrecompany.com/ to find out what we're doing next. |
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